Nature’s Neighborhood

Open year-round for fun and learning

Nature’s Neighborhood is the award-winning children’s zoo experience that’s 100% explore-able and 100% fun! No matter the weather, your family will discover exciting activities, engage in the natural world and encounter awesome animals in a whole new way.

Get an up-close peek at the Zoo’s leafcutter ants with awesome Ant-Cameras in the Forest!

Enter a whole new world in Jumpin’ Junction, the new green screen studio inside Nature’s Neighborhood. You never know where in the world this amazing feature will take you!

All Year Round, Nature’s Neighborhood Has Something to Explore!

Live animal shows at the Fisher-Price Discovery Stage

Daily performances feature Toledo Zoo animals at 2 p.m. each day. The animals and topics may change, but the fun stays the same. See you there!Open during warmer months

The Play Stream

Open by Memorial Day Weekend through October 1
Splash, build and play in an actual stream as Zoo staffers guide activity and keep things safe. You’ll dig into the sand, make tracks on the beach and maybe even find some fossils. The Play Stream opens after the last frost in May and stays open until cooler weather returns in the fall.

Jumpin’ Junction

Have you ever wanted to be on TV? Visit Jumpin’ Junction to see yourself on a large TV screen with a scene from the natural world behind you! Animal costumes and animal puppets also become part of this fun experience as you become the show and part of nature.

The Goat Yard

Open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day and on warmer days. Help Zoo staff brush and care for African pygmy goats and watch the goats in action. It’s a great perspective on animal care, and it’s sure to provide your child with a connection to the natural world!

Tree House and Climbing Wall

Open daily April through December and on warmer days
Get a bird’s-eye view of Nature’s Neighborhood from the tree house or test your skills on the rock-climbing wall.

Workshops! Fun every day— all year long!

Stop in and explore through interactive play. Look for daily activities with Zoo staffers who will help you build, play and meet some of our animals.

The Backyard

Become a backyard detective as you track animals, spy for birds, find some messy culprits and identify dangerous plants. You can also just watch the birds at the feeder.

The Forest

Fun every day— all year long!
Start the day building a giant bird nest right alongside cool colorful birds. In the afternoon, meet some spiders and discover what they like to eat. There’s even a waterless play pond for the littlest visitors to Nature’s Neighborhood. You can also follow our hard-working leafcutter ants as they busily collect leaves for their food supply. Click here to check out a cool time lapse video on YouTube and see just how quickly our leafcutter ants can work!

Nature’s Neighborhood has even more:

KC’s Corner Store:

With lots of great Zoo gear, including many greener options, this is one cool corner store.

Pet Care:

Teacher Workshops at Nature’s Neighborhood:

Interested in a remarkable program for your school group? The Nature’s Neighborhood Workshop now offers programs aligned with Ohio Curriculum Standards and led by one of our teaching staff. Toledo Zoo animals will even pay a visit and meet your class! Click here for Nature’s Neighborhood Workshops and book yours today. You can also call 419.385.5721, ext. 2042 for more details.